The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Crime writer vying for major prize with 30th novel
Author Val McDermid will be hoping to win big with her 30th novel, which has been shortlisted for a major crime-writing prize.
The Scottish scribe is nominated for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year award alongside five of her contemporaries.
Last year, McDermid won the ceremony’s top prize as she was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction.
McDermid’s 2016 book Out of Bounds, part of her Inspector Karen Pirie series, is up for the Crime Novel of the Year award this year.
She will go up against Christopher Brookmyre for Black Widow, Eva Dolan for After You Die, Sabine Durrant for Lie With Me, Mick Herron for Real Tigers and Susie Steiner for Missing, Presumed.
Last year’s novel prize winner was Clare Mackintosh for I Let You Go.
The winner for the Crime Novel of the Year award will be announced on July 20, on the opening night of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate.